The China–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) is a bilateral treaty between Australia and China that aims to protect migratory birds and their environment between the two countries. Throughout all six Articles, the treaty defines what a migratory bird is, outlines key prohibitions for both contracting parties and determines the responsibilities of both nations to protect migratory birds and their habitats. The CAMBA was first developed on 20 October 1986, and came into force on 1 September 1988. Eighty-one bird species are listed in the agreement, as shown in the CAMBA Annex listed below.
The CAMBA was developed to provide more legal protection for migratory birds, especially those that are critically endangered or are at threat of extinction. Both China and Australia have agreed to encourage the creation of programs to support the protection of bird species, to share any information like research on these birds and to ensure conservation such as by preventing the importation of hazardous plants and animals.
Australia has been involved with other migratory bird agreements such as the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) and the Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (ROKAMBA), and also with management plans that aim to combat key threats such as climate change and water extraction which have proven to harm bird species. There are also issues associated with migratory bird protection which limits the effectiveness of protecting these species, including the lack of specificity in agreements and difficulties in implementing conservatory measures at a domestic level.
Agreement articles
Article I Article I defines the term "migratory bird" as a bird that is sufficiently proven to be migrating between China and Australia and those determined by "published reports, photographs and other information". This Article then states that both contracting parties, being Australia and China, must review the Annex and are given the ability to potentially amend the Agreement upon mutual agreement. This Article provides opportunities for both contracting parties to amend the CAMBA which has occurred before at the 7th Consultative Meeting between Australia and China on 26 May 2006.CAMBA National Interest Analysis (CNIA). Report. Government of Australia. The amendments included altering the scientific nomenclature of 17 species in the Annex as well adding the Roseate Tern and removing the Painted Snipe.
Article II Article II prohibits both China and Australia from taking either migratory birds or their eggs unless otherwise permitted in the domestic laws of the respective country given certain circumstances. Some of these circumstances include if such actions are for: "scientific, educational, propagative" or other purposes that align with the motives of the Agreement, the reason is to protect people or property or it is during hunting season as established in Article II. For instance, the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment has permitted Tasmanian Aboriginal individuals to harvest shearwaters,Australian National Report to the 18th JAMBA, 12th CAMBA and 5th ROKAMBA Consultative Meetings, Commonwealth of Australia 2016 which is a historic part of their muttonbirding tradition. This Article further states that both parties shall not sell, purchase or exchange migratory birds or eggs, but may determine a criterion for hunting these birds given reproduction rates needed for survival. During the 2010 to 2011 and 2013 to 2014 breeding seasons, cultural harvesting for Tasmanian Aboriginals was terminated to ensure bird populations returned to their original levels.
Article III Article III lists three binding statements that both contracting parties are recommended to do. The first states that both nations are encouraged to share information related to the research on migratory birds. The second encourages both parties to create "joint research programs" focused on migratory birds. Lastly, both parties should promote the protection of migratory birds, specifically those that are exposed to extinction. The National Avian Influenza Wild Bird (NAIWB) Surveillance Program is an Australian initiative that includes sampling Anseriformes to monitor influenza viruses. This program provides information to better improve Australia's understanding of avian influenza in wild birds to protect against environmental and social impacts of diseases.
Article IV Article IV asserts that both contracting parties must, to the best of their ability: create facilities that protect migratory birds, take necessary steps to preserve and improve the environment of these birds, prevent any harm to both the birds and their environment and monitor and control any animals or plants that are imported that may pose a risk. In preventing harm and improving the environments of the listed birds, Australia and China considered removing the Painted Snipe from the Annex as they were found to be a different species than those that were in Asia. However, it is already a threatened species listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) and was found that it will not lessen the protection to that species and its environment.
Article V This Article simply states that if either China or Australia request so, both parties must consult in relation to the operation of the Agreement.
Article VI Article VI outlines that the Agreement will be enacted once both countries notify one another and sign the Agreement. It will be in force for 15 years and either party can give the other party 1 year's notice to terminate the Agreement after this period of time. +Bird Species Listed in the CAMBA AnnexNo.Common nameSpecies name1Streaked shearwaterPuffinus leucomelas (Calonectris leucomelas)2Sooty shearwaterPuffinus griseus3Leach's storm-petrelOceanodroma leucorhoa4White-tailed tropicbirdPhaethon lepturus5Red-footed boobySula sula6Brown boobySula leucogaster7Great frigatebirdFregata minor8Andrew's frigatebird / Christmas frigatebirdFregata andrewsi9Least frigatebird / Lesser frigatebirdFregata ariel10Western cattle egret & Cattle egretBubulcus ibis (Ardeola ibis)11Great egretEgretta alba12Eastern reef egret / Pacific reef heronEgretta sacra13Yellow bitternIxobrychus sinensis14Glossy ibisPlegadis falcinellus15GarganeyAnas querquedula16Northern shovelerAnas clypeata17White-bellied sea-eagleHaliaeetus leucogaster18Sarus craneGrus antigone19Red-legged crakeRallina fasciata20Corn crakeCrex crex21Pheasant-tailed jacanaHydrophasianus chirurgus22Painted snipe / Greater painted snipeRostratula benghalensis23Grey ploverPluvialis squatarola24Lesser golden plover / American golden ploverPluvialis dominica25Ringed plover / Common ringed ploverCharadrius hiaticula26Little ringed ploverCharadrius dubius27Mongolian plover / Lesser sand ploverCharadrius mongolus28Large sand-plover / Greater sand ploverCharadrius leschenaultii29Caspian ploverCharadrius asiaticus30Little curlew & Eskimo curlewNumenius borealis (Numenius minutus)31Whimbrel / Eurasian whimbrelNumenius phaeopus32Eurasian curlewNumenius arquata33Eastern curlew / Far Eastern curlewNumenius madagascariensis34Black-tailed godwitLimosa limosa35Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponica36Redshank / Common redshankTringa totanus37Marsh sandpiperTringa stagnatilis38Greenshank / Common greenshankTringa nebularia39Wood sandpiperTringa glareola40Common sandpiperTringa hypoleucos41Grey-tailed tattler & Wandering tattlerTringa incana (Tringa brevipes)42Terek sandpiperXenus cinereus (Tringa terek)43Ruddy turnstoneArenaria interpres44Asian dowitcherLimnodromus semipalmatus45Latham's snipeCapella hardwickii (Gallinago hardwickii)46Pin-tailed snipeCapella stenura (Gallinago stenura)47Swinhoe's snipeCapella megala (Gallinago megala)48Red knotCalidris canutus49Great knotCalidris tenuirostris50Red-necked stintCalidris ruficollis51Long-toed stintCalidris subminuta52Sharp-tailed sandpiperCalidris acuminata53DunlinCalidris alpina54Curlew sandpiperCalidris ferruginea55SanderlingCrocethia alba (Calidris alba)56Broad-billed sandpiperLimicola falcinellus57RuffPhilomachus pugnax58Red-necked phalaropePhalaropus lobatus59Grey phalarope / Red phalaropePhaloropus fulicarius60Oriental pratincoleGlareola maldivarum61Pomarine jaegerStercorarius pomarinus62White-winged ternChlidonias leucoptera63Black ternChlidonias niger64Caspian ternHydropogne tschegrava (Hydroprogne caspia)65Common ternSterna hirundo66Black-naped ternSterna sumatrana67Bridled ternSterna anaethetus68Little ternSterna albifrons69Lesser crested ternThalasseus bengalensis (Sterna bengalensis)70Common noddy / Brown noddyAnous stolidus71Oriental cuckoo / Himalayan cuckooCuculus saturatus72White-throated needletailHirundapus caudacutus73Fork-tailed swift / Pacific swiftApus pacificus74Barn swallowHirundo rustica75Greater striated swallow / Striated swallowHirundo striolata76Yellow wagtail / Western yellow wagtailMotacilla flava77Yellow-headed wagtail / Citrine wagtailMotacilla citreola78Grey wagtailMotacilla cinerea79White wagtailMotacilla alba80Great reed-warblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus81Arctic willow warbler / Arctic warblerPhylloscopus borealis
Australia's migratory bird protection history Australia has been a critical nation in protecting migratory birds by taking conservatory measures in the East Asian – Australasian Flyway since the mid-1970s.Celebrating Australia’s Migratory Waterbirds and their habitats – Showcasing Australia's Flyway Site Network, Commonwealth of Australia 2017 Australia has made bilateral migratory bird agreements with several Asian countries. It started with Japan (JAMBA) in 1974, China (CAMBA) in 1986 and the Republic of Korea (ROKAMBA) over 15 years ago in 2006.
As well as these bilateral agreements, Australia is a signatory to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, more commonly known as the Ramsar Convention. This intergovernmental treaty primarily focuses on the conservation of wetlands by ensuring environmental maintenance and ecological sustainability. The Ramsar Strategic Plan (2009–2015) outlines outcomes to be achieved for the Ramsar Convention. First, there should be an increase in engagement within local communities and awareness of the importance of wetlands on ecosystems. Second, international coordination with the Ramsar Convention must be maintained to achieve an international wetland network. Thirdly, there should be a focus on cooperating with international parties to maximise the impact of the agreement.
Further, as a member since 2006, Australia's membership in the East Asian – Australasian Flyway Site Network which was established in 1996 has assisted the encouragement and implementation of more effective conservatory measures for migratory birds. Also, Australia is part of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals which is an environmental treaty as part of the United Nations which aims to improve international coordination of migratory bird conservation.
In more recent developments according to The Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, Australia has demonstrated initiatives interlinked with their commitment to agreements with Japan, China and Korea. The introduction of the Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds is a national framework focused on the research and development of migratory shorebirds within Australia. The EPBC Act 1999 has assisted the development of the Conservation Plan to facilitate the survival of bird species. The protection of habitats has been amplified by the National Landcare Programme as well as through coordinating measures with the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, Parks Australia and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.Australian National Report to the 19th JAMBA, 13th CAMBA and 6th ROKAMBA Consultative Meetings, Commonwealth of Australia 2018
Reasons for migratory bird protection